BRIAN Hughes’s gesture in lending his ice machine to Davy Russell, who had injured his knee following a fall in Wednesday’s cross-country chase at Cheltenham, helped the Co Cork jockey land the leading rider’s title there.

Among Russell’s four winners was the Gordon Elliott-trained Shantou gelding The Storyteller whose victory came in Thursday’s Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase in the colours of a delighted Pat Sloan.

The Storyteller was purchased for Templepatrick-based Pat and her husband Joe by Kevin Ross Bloodstock.

Fellow northern agent Harold Kirk had a busy week keeping an eye on some of his successful selections such as Benie Des Dieux, Bleu Berry, Balko Des Flos and Laurina.

At different times, both Kevin Ross Bloodstock and Harold Kirk signed for Friday’s winner of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle, Blow By Blow.